The team behind the hit South Korean drama Perfect Crown has released a formal apology after facing mounting backlash over its portrayal of inaccurate historical court rituals in the series.
The apology follows the backlash the series received while nearing its finale, where lead star Byeon Woo-seok, who plays Grand Prince I-an, is shown ascending the throne while wearing the “Guryu Myeonryugwan,” a crown marked with nine strands of beads traditionally associated with rulers being in a subordinate position.
Critics pointed out that if the drama intended to portray Korea as an independent empire, the character should have instead worn the “Sibi Myeonryugwan,” a crown featuring 12 strands of jade beads historically linked to fully sovereign emperors.
READ: Byeon Woo-seok issues apology over ‘Perfect Crown’ historical controversy
Description: Screengrab from The Korea Times showing a scene from Perfect Crown on MBC
Another issue came from the show’s court scenes where officials used the phrase “Cheonse” translating to “Long live for a thousand years”, which was used for a nation dominated by another empire, instead of “Manse” meaning “Long live for ten thousand years”, traditionally used to greet an emperor and express full sovereignty.
In a statement released on May 16 on their official website, the creators addressed the growing criticism.
“We sincerely bow our heads in apology to the many viewers who have supported the drama with affection for the concerns caused by issues surrounding the worldbuilding and historical accuracy,” the team said, as translated by The Korea Herald.
They further acknowledged that the controversy stemmed from a lack of deeper review on “how Joseon court rituals and etiquette evolved throughout history.”
The production team also confirmed that revisions will be made moving forward.
“We humbly accept viewers' criticism and will revise the relevant audio and subtitles as quickly as possible for future rebroadcasts, video-on-demand releases, and streaming services,” the statement added.
Lead stars Woo-seok and IU have likewise issued formal apologies through their official Instagram accounts.
Publisher O'Fanhouse Studio, which is in charge of the drama’s upcoming script book release, said in a separate social statement that it is currently in discussions with the production team about changes to disputed ceremonial terminology. The company emphasized that it “takes this matter very seriously,” and confirmed that customers who preordered the first edition will be notified of updates.
Beginning on May 18, buyers of the first edition will be able to download a corrected PDF version through official channels, while physical correction stickers will also be made available upon request. Future print runs will already include the revised terminology.
Despite the controversy, Perfect Crown continues to perform strongly in viewership ratings. According to Nielsen Korea, its Episode 12 aired on May 16, reached a nationwide rating of 13.8 percent, marking the series’ highest so far.
The drama is directed by Park Joon-hwa, known for hit series such as What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim and Alchemy of Souls, and written by Yoo Ji-won.